Vacuum-sealed jar



Febo 5, 1929. 1,700,958 e. STAUNTON VACUUM SEALED JAR Filed Aug. 27, 1926 W w g I Patented Feb; 5, 1929,, 3

UNITED STATES 1,700,958 PATENT OFFICE.

GRAY STAUNTON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB '10 VACUUM SEAL C0. INC., NEW YORK, N. Y., CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VACUUM-SEALED JAR.

Application filed August 27, 1926. Serial No. 181,884.

This invention relates to a vacuum-sealed jar having the seal on the outside of the container substantially out of contact with the contents of said jar.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved self-sealing jar having an outside seal between the cap and jar wherein the cap acts as its own vacuum valve; projections on the underside of the cap serving to assure that the cap will go down level on the jar, as if one side goes down first, tilting the cap, the projection on the low side stops further movement there and serves as a fulcrum to concentrate the effective pressure to push down the opposite or high side of the cap, thus tending to seat the cap level.

It isanother object of this invention to provide an improved form of vacuum seal wherein the sealing ring is accessible and can be pried out from beneath the cap to effective- 1 break the vacuum within the jar to release t e cap.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanyin drawings.

' The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described,

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a jar and cap embodying the features of this invention.

' Figure 2 is an enlarged bottom view of the cap alone.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fraglmentary cross section through the mouth of t e jar and cap.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the steps of releasing the vacuum within the jar.

. Figure 6 is a fragmentary section of the cover showing one of the projections de signed to assure level seating of the cap.

As shown on the drawings:

A 'ar is indicated by the numeral 10, the mouth 11 being of restricted diameter with a 5 peripheral shoulder or flange 12 located below the rim of the mouth 11 to form a cylindrical surface to receive an elastic rubber ring 13 of initially rectangular cross section before com ression under the cap 14;

The cap or cover 14 is provided. with a peripheral depending flange 15, the inner surface of which is peculiarly formed to compress the rubber sealing ring. The lower 1nner edge of the flange 15 is formed as a cylindrical surface 16 merging into an inwardly tapered conical surface 17 bounded at the top by a second cylindrical surface 18 having a diameter slightly greater than that of the outside of the jar mouth 11, this cylindrlcal surface being brokep at several bumps or projections 19 depending from the..cap to a point approximating the upper edge of the conical surface 17. In the drawings,'three equally spaced bumps are shown, althou h a greater number would fall within the objects of the invention. These bumps serve to prevent the cap from tilting too much during the sealing operation, as the lowermost bump would contact the top of the jar and concentrate the effective closing forces on the opposite or hi hest part of the tilted cap, tending to right t e same.

The container, after fillin the cap thereon by means of and centerin he cylmdrica surface 16, may be sealed by means of individual vacuum pumps or by placing a bell over one or more jars, the bell making contact with a rubber mat at the lower edge and being connected to a vacuum pump to exhaust the air within the bell. When the air is again allowed to enter the bell the cover or cap seats itself on the gasket ring compressing the ring into the form shown in Figure 3.

To 0 en a jar sealed by air pressure in the above escribed manner it is only necessary to pry out the rubber ring by inserting any sharp instrument 20 such as a fork, ice pick, or t e like, in notches 21 provided in the cylindrical surface 16 for this purpose.

I am aware that numerousdetails of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a jar having a peripheral cylindrical surface adjacent its rim, a gasket positioned on said cylindrical surface, a cover having a peripheral depending flange envelopingsaid gasket, and means limiting the tiltin movement of said cover while being forced own over said gasket.

2. In combination, in a vacuum jar construction with an outside seal of the class described, a container having the outer edge of its rim provided witha shoulder to forma seat for a gasket, a gasket resting on said seat, and a cover for cooperation with said gasket andarranged to serve as a valve during the sealing of the container, said cover having an inwardly extending portion positioned to contact with the rim of the container to prevent undue tilting of the cover.

3. In combination, in a vacuum jar construction with an outside seal of the class described, a container having the outer edge ofits rim provided with a shoulder to form a seat for a gasket, a gasket resting on said seat, and a cover for cooperation with said gasket and arranged to serve as a Valve during the sealing of the container, said cover having an internal rabbeted portion formed to compress and hold the gasket in place on said shoulder and also including a portion positioned to contact with the rim of the container to prevent undue tilting of the cover and said gasket when compressed bulging between the lower cooperating edge of the cover and the shoulder of the container.

4. In combination, in a vacuum jar construction with an outside seal of the class described, a container having the outer edge of its rim provided with a shoulder to form t a seat for a gasket, a gasket resting on said seat, and a cover for cooperation with said gasket and arranged to serve as a valve during the sealing of the container, said cover having a depending portion positioned to contact withthe rim of the container toprevent undue tilting of the cover and also having a slanting surface terminating in a substantially vertical flange for compressing the gasket on said seat, the flange being provided with a slot arranged for an instrument to be inserted therein and in substantial alignment with said slanting surface whereby the seal may be broken between the cover and the gasket, said gasket being held in place on said seat and from slipping upwardly into the cover by the slanting surface and cooperating flange of said cover.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GRAY STAUNTON. 

